Moist Heat Cooking

Tougher cuts of beef, from the round, brisket, flank, plate, shank, and chuck are best cooked by moist heat cooking methods, such as braising, pot roasting, and stewing.

Stewing is simmering meat, whole or cut into bite-size pieces, in a water-based liquid with flavorings. This is a traditional and flavorful way to prepare less tender cuts of beef.

Braising is simple cooking method for meats, in a covered container, with small amounts of liquids (usually seasoned or flavored). Unlike stewing, braised meat is not fully immersed in liquid.

Some of the tougher cuts may be prepared with dry heat if they are first tenderized with a marinade or cooked for a long time at a low temperature. Higher temperatures will make meat tougher, so cooked at temperatures well below boiling (149F-194F), is just hot enough to dissolve connective tissue and kill bacteria, with minimal toughening.